Victim Assistance

Overview & Duties
The Burleson Police Department established a Victim Assistance Program in 1989 that provides full victim services normally found only in large agencies.

Victims
The victim of a violent crime is someone who has suffered bodily injury or death or who is the victim of sexual assault, kidnapping or aggravated robbery or the close relative (spouse, parent, or brother, sister or child) or the guardian of a victim. Texas state law requires law enforcement agencies to provide certain services to victims and to ensure their rights are protected. It is up to the individual agencies to establish how these services are provided and administered. In most small agencies the services provided are minimal, at best, due to limited funds.

Increased Criminal Activity
Burleson, like other communities in Johnson County, is feeling the mass migration of people out of larger cities and into suburban communities. With the increased growth, the city is also facing an increase in criminal activity. With the increase in crime comes a growing number of crime victims.

The coordinator can respond directly to the scene of major incidents where immediate crisis intervention is needed. In order to provide better on-scene response and 24-hour coverage, the victim assistance coordinator developed a volunteer service consisting of 2 well-trained individuals who assist with meeting the needs of victims.